Topaz Lodge

The manager texted “IT'S NOON!” while I was loading my things after my late checkout. It was noon on the dot, and he could see me. I was out of the parking lot by 12:06. For the only guest giving them three days of business, that was a pretty lousy sendoff. The weekend events were over and everyone else had gone home. I hope the owner sees this. With some care for the grounds, new carpet, a cleaned-up property, and staff who care, including housekeeping, this great location could be a gem. As it is, it’s a turd, and I wouldn’t stay again without new staff and updated rooms. I was in BV for three days last weekend, and the hotel had been booked for me. The outside looked rough, with weeds everywhere and landscaping that seemed untouched for a year or so. The front bushes smelled like cat urine, or could have. Trash had blown into the overgrown bushes outside my south-facing window. The entry alcove and windows needed cleaning too. The room was mostly updated and clean-ish. The newer shower and bath were clean, the mini fridge worked well, and the large bed seemed new and was comfortable. There was a nice little workspace, and the TV was okay, though it seemed to have only news channels. I was out all day and only needed the room to sleep. The ventless A/C worked fine, though it wasn’t hot during my stay. The carpet was nasty. They’d updated most of the room but left that behind, and I wore my shoes because I didn’t want my feet or socks on it, especially before getting back into bed to watch TV. The bed was the only good place to sit and watch. There was one chair, but it faced away from the TV in a smaller part of the room. Parking is very tight, especially for a bigger vehicle, and the small lot was never full during my stay. There are no room phones, and the office isn’t staffed around the clock. I had to find the number on my reservation and call to request a late checkout. They gave me an extra hour, which was nice. The place wasn’t busy, and after reading the reviews, I can see why.

The room was kind of clean, though it needs repairs and updating. There was a noticeable gap between the door and the wall, letting in a breeze from the parking lot. The smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were just set on the microwave instead of mounted on the wall or ceiling as you’d normally expect.

After two months of travel and staying at lots of places, this one was among the worse. It’s old and poorly maintained: mold in the tub, carpet that should’ve been replaced years ago, and a broken mini fridge. There was also an opened bottle of champagne left by the previous guest. Light came through a crack at the bottom of the front door, and the security was inadequate, to say the least. I’ve paid less for much better places.

Friendly staff who are easy to deal with and won’t cause you any problems. It’s a clean, old-style place that works well if you just need somewhere to sleep and watch a little cable TV while spending the day climbing mountains or enjoying the Continental Divide. If you want somewhere fancy that takes care of every little need, or you’re high maintenance, I’d look elsewhere.